A correspondent of Notes and Queries (May 2nd, 1891, p. 356) says: The swords were manufactured by Julian del Rei of Toldo, whose trade-mark was a little dog, mistaken for a fox. The usual derivation is the Latin falx, French fauchon, our falchion.

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O signieur Dew, thou diest on point of fox,

Except, O signieur, thou do give to me

Egregious ransom.

Shakespeare: Henry V., iv. 4.

I had a sword, ay, the flower of Smithfield for a sword, a right fox 1 faith.Two Angry Women of Abington (1599).